Rare letter offers glimpse into Bram Stoker’s early thoughts on Dracula

Lord forgive me. I am quite shameless', author playfully wrote in note weeks after horror novel published in 1897

He had just unleashed one of the most famed gothic horror books on the world, a blood-curdling classic that chilled readers and has inspired countless authors, film-makers and video game developers ever since.

But a rare note that Bram Stoker wrote just weeks after Dracula was published in 1897 gives a glimpse into the playful fun he must have had with the novel.